Well, here we are again. This past season of NGE was full of ups and downs and close calls. In the end, I was able to come out on top again. The lineup I chose for the Grand Finals was a pretty simple one. I chose the three best decks I could think of. What better way to put an end to Wonderland Dreams than by demonstrating the power of the strongest decks in the game?

And no, Neutral Haven did not make the cut.

Dimension Shift Rune

This is the classic combo deck, D-Shift. Its goal is to stall the enemy with removal spells while Spellboosting the signature card, Dimension Shift. Once the Dimension Shifts are ready to go, it deploys all of its threats and closes the game out over several uninterrupted turns.

MATCHUPS

D-Shift enjoys a fantastic matchup against control decks and combo decks, both of which have a very difficult time putting pressure on D-Shift before it can assemble its unstoppable combo.

On the other hand, D-Shift struggles to deal with aggressive decks, especially Ambush Sword and Aggro Blood, because it can’t protect itself from followers with Ambush or Storm.

This particular build of D-Shift has a fairly even matchup against Neutral decks. It has the ability to completely swing a board in its favor with a flurry of Chimeras, Fiery Embraces, Wind Blasts, and Flame Destroyers. Since Neutral decks can’t answer so many threats at once, this swing is often enough to win the game without Dimension Shift.

TIPS

If you can evolve Merlin and still clear the enemy board, you probably should. The sooner you put your Spellboost cards into your hand, the sooner you will be able to cast them.

Against aggressive decks, your defense begins with the mulligan. Anticipate your opponent’s plays and make sure you have the right answer for every threat. Don’t be afraid to throw out Flame Destroyers and Chimeras in order to buy time.

Against defensive decks, prioritize finding Dimension Shifts and drawing cards as fast as possible. If you are short on finishers, consider saving your Conjure Golems to increase your combo damage.

Control Blood

Control Blood has been hiding out in the lower tiers for quite a while, but it truly shines in this metagame. It packs the best sweepers, healing, and removal the game has to offer. After stabilizing the board, Control Blood can quickly end the game with Storm followers and direct damage.

MATCHUPS

Control Blood dominates the majority of aggro and midrange decks, which can not apply enough pressure without getting blown out by Revelation. Any damage they do can be easily healed.

On the other hand, Control Blood performs quite poorly against combo decks. It lacks the ability to build a threatening board, and often ends up losing with several useless removal spells in hand.

Usually, Control Blood does not do well against other control decks, but Azazel and Prince of Darkness can give you an opening to go for the win.

TIPS

Blood Moon is the key card of the deck. Blood Moon into Belphegor is a great way to start the game, but playing Blood Moon and Diabolic Drain on turn 4 allows you to keep the Blood Moon in play long enough to get Emeralda’s Vengeance effect.

When playing against a deck that needs a key card to win (think Aegis or Seraph), playing Azazel the turn before can force them to change their play.

Mask of the Black Death always blocks the next instance of damage, no matter what the Countdown is. It can be used to cheat the effects of Belphegor and Azazel, keeping you at a healthy life total.

Neutral Sword

This is Neutral Sword. It aims to flood the board repeatedly with buffed followers and deal enough damage for Albert to finish the job. In my opinion, Neutral Sword is the strongest deck right now.

MATCHUPS

Neutral Sword has only one bad matchup, Control Blood. Other defensive decks can’t handle the combination of early aggression, board flood, hand refills, and Albert.

Neutral Sword has a great matchup against most aggro and midrange decks. Maisy completely turns around most boards, and the combination of bane and ward on Council of Card Knights is difficult for board-oriented decks to answer.

TIPS

Pick your trades carefully. Just because the deck is aggressive doesn’t mean you should always attack face.

Don’t waste neutral followers. Holding on to a Goblin can enable Maisy on a critical turn or draw an extra card with Rabbit Ear Attendant.

If you are deciding between playing a Cinderella and another card, you should probably play the Cinderella. This will help you avoid clogging up your hand with multiple Cinderellas later.

Well, that’s it for Wonderland Dreams. Even though I did not enjoy it at first, I really came to appreciate how diverse the meta was. Every class saw considerable competitive play, and most had multiple viable archetypes. Aggro, control, and combo all flourished on the ladder. I hope Cygames continues to deliver with Starforged Legends.

As always, I have some shoutouts to make, because nobody really succeeds on their own.

MS Autoaim, for always helping me with my lineups and practice. I can not think of a single more worthy addition to ManaSurge’s roster, and I have high hopes for him in the upcoming expansion.

Kuriketto, for always being there for me. I wouldn’t be able to bring my best every week without her constant encouragement.

MS Red, for believing in me. I didn’t bring home the 3-0 that you asked for, but I think this is good enough.

Everybody at ManaSurge. The confidence I get from knowing that my team is behind me 100% makes a world of difference.